The Digest – Gameweek 24

The case for Lukaku, Hull City’s Silva lining and the form vs fixtures battle over Jesus. These are the key topics that draw a close to Gameweek 24.

The Player

What is left to be said on Romelu Lukaku?

For all the hype surrounding Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus, there is no doubt that the Gameweek belonged to the Everton striker.

Second only to City’s Brazilian for transfers ahead of this weekend’s deadline, many of those punished by Lukaku’s 21-point haul have moved to correct matters.

As we’ve mentioned previously, while it’s tempting to dismiss his claims and avoid “chasing points”, the case for Lukaku appears strong, even if the Bournemouth haul is dismissed.

Now leading the Golden Boot chase, Lukaku has significantly improved both his shot accuracy and goal conversion this season.

Compared with his rivals at the top of the goal charts – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Diego Costa, Harry Kane and Jermain Defoe – the Belgian is hitting the target more often, and converting more of his shots to goals.

He shows a 51% goal involvement at a time when Everton have top scored over the last six Gameweeks, ranking fourth for goal attempts over that spell.

Unlike the three teams above them in that pecking order, Everton have both a guaranteed Gameweek 26 and 28 fixture – home matches, against Sunderland and West Brom.

The argument for Lukaku appears bulletproof. To avoid him on the basis that he is unlikely to repeat Saturday’s haul is both stubborn and a decision which risks further anguish.

The Team

Marco Silva was an unknown quantity. While some notable pundits were lamenting Hull City’s decision to oust Mike Phelan and opt for a Premier League newcomer, the rest of us sat back, anticipating change but unsure on just how Silva could possibly navigate the Tigers away from the relegation trapdoor.

They appeared doomed on arrival of the Portuguese boss, but in his four league matches in charge, Silva has steered the Tigers to seven points – more than their total return over the 18 outings prior to his appointment.

Even the loss of key asset Robert Snodgrass has failed to disrupt the renaissance. Silva has moved to make seven January signings, backing up his tactical overhaul with a cast of new faces.

Everton outcast Oumar Niasse has already benefitted – his goal that sealed an unlikely 2-0 victory over Liverpool at the weekend his latest retaliatory blow.

Elsewhere, we will keenly monitor the progress of Liverpool loanee Lazar Markovic and Polish maverick winger Kamil Grosicki – they could be next to produce for Silva and tempt Fantasy investment.

But, like Silva, our focus is the defence.

Back-to-back clean sheets against Manchester United and Liverpool have forced our interest: over his four matches in charge, Silva’s influence on the Tigers’ rearguard has been remarkable.

Hull’s backline have reduced the number of attempts conceded from open play from 14.1 per match, to just 8.8.

Eldin Jakupovic is back installed as a favoured budget option in goal, with the news of Jordan Pickford’s imminent return for Sunderland failing to distract from the fact that the Swiss stopper has the price, form and fixtures to offer stronger returns over the coming weeks.

Similarly, Harry Maguire can be a rough diamond.

A towering colossus of a centre-back, the former Sheffield United defender is an attacking force. Adept with the ball at his feet, Maguire can threaten from both open play and set-pieces.

Since his run of starts began back in Gameweek 15, no other FPL defender has fired in more attempts – not even the buccaneering Marcos Alonso.

Maguire also tops Hull’s ranks for clearances, blocks and interceptions during that period – indication that, should further clean sheets arrive, bonus point returns will surely follow.

Hull City not only offer fixtures in both Gameweek 26 and 28, they arguably boast the kindest run-in of any Premier League side from this point on, with an array of home matches that can help Silva complete his improbable rescue act.

There are no longer doubts surrounding the merits of Silva’s appointment. Instead, Fantasy managers are now thankful that his arrival has promoted Hull as an unlikely option at a time when we’re scrambling to fill our squads with active assets.

The Talking Point

Those impending blanks have clearly impacted on the current transfer activity, with both the top owned assets currently among the top six most sold assets.

While Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez sit out Gameweek 26, early planning and preparation has driven some to part company, even with home fixtures against Watford and Hull City scheduled this weekend.

On the flipside, such concerns appear to have been ignored by those flooding to Gabriel Jesus. The City striker again seems destined to be the top transfer target for a second successive Gameweek.

His fixture at Bournemouth undoubtedly tempts investment, although more than 14,000 of his 126,000 new owners have made the direct switch from Ibrahimovic: from one Gameweek 26 blank to another, with the risk of rotation around Champions League ties about to kick in.

As we attempt to form the optimum plan for navigating our squads through testing schedules, such behaviour seems puzzling.

Following Gameweek 26, once the FA Cup fifth round is played out, we will at least handed greater clarity on the big picture.

We will know if any unexpected exits for Premier League clubs will hand us new options, perhaps helping us revise and finesse plans.

Until then, it’s perhaps wise to show caution – preserving transfers for assets assured of starts.

Jesus is an anomaly – an exciting, potentially explosive prospect who looks set to be a key figure through the remainder of our season.

It appears that his time is now, but City’s fixtures and Pep’s penchant for the unexpected perhaps tells us otherwise.